Helping the less fortunate: Yea or Nay?

[lasbar]



The latest one seems to be people who need gas to get home.

I rarely give money unless someone is disabled or elderly. A few years back, though, I was leaving the downtown courthouse feeling very good after a successful mock trial competition and a guy came and asked for food. I told him I was on the way to Subway and if he wanted lunch he could join me. We ended up having an interesting conversation and I got a little insight on how he got to this point. He never hit me up for any extra money and seemed really grateful.

Nice story...

 

[RSS]



I never give to individuals. Only to reputable charitable organizations.

I urge people to seek out charities that manage to offer assistance representing a relatively high % of funds raised. Local charities that are staffed completely or largely by volunteers are often a good way to ensure that most if not all of the funds end up helping those intended.

 

[munchausen]

The Salvation Army is one of the better organizations in this regard. I would prefer to give to a secular institution personally but results are results.

 

[lasbar]



The Salvation Army is one of the better organizations in this regard. I would prefer to give to a secular institution personally but results are results.

Small charities don't have the overheads of a major one...

 

[munchausen]



Small charities don't have the overheads of a major one...

You're right. I guess I meant one of the better national organizations, but that's more relevant during huge crises than it is for the day to day of homelessness and poverty.

 

[acidboy]



In Seattle there is one gas station that frequently get's worked by a young woman who tells a story of trying to get back to Concord, California. The second time I saw her I was on my way to the airport to fly to the Bay Area. I called her bluff and said, "I'm headed to the airport right now to fly to Bay Area; you're welcome to join us on the plane. In fact, rather than Oakand, we'll file a flight plan for Concord." She did not accept the offer.

maybe the thought of being stuck beside you for an hour inside a plane is just too unbearable?

 

[Camillus]

We’ve all been in this position; You pull up to a red light, look to your right, and see a homeless man asking for some spare change. What do you do?

Story that sort of related:

The other day I was at gas station at around 2300 and some guy came up to me asking for some money because his daughter was blah blah blah. After he was done ranting, I stabbed him in the eye and crushed his dog (American Psycho reference). Just kidding. Instead of being an asshole, I took some money, twenty bucks, out of a nearby ATM and gave it to him.
I don’t know if should feel cheated or good about this. Help me make up my mind.

I did something kind of similar once. I had worked overnight and got off at 0600 and as I come out the door a guy steps up to me and starts saying how he was supposed to go to the Coast Guard station here in Boston and he got there but the officer he was supposed to see had left so he couldn't stay at the station so he'd have to go back to Rhode Island but he didn't have $11 for the Greyhound ticket. So I walk over to an ATM and get $20 for him. I just hope he wasn't an alcoholic feeding me BS.

 

[mr.orange]



...
If anyone wants a job, I'll hire any able body workers for my mom's orchard as field laborers $9-20/hr w/ free daily meals (you eat what my mom cooks) and free boarding if need be. If you're productive, you get paid more, if you're slow, you get less. If you're just goofing around, you're fired. It is as simple as that...

PM to set up an interview.

The latest one seems to be people who need gas to get home.

I rarely give money unless someone is disabled or elderly. A few years back, though, I was leaving the downtown courthouse feeling very good after a successful mock trial competition and a guy came and asked for food. I told him I was on the way to Subway and if he wanted lunch he could join me. We ended up having an interesting conversation and I got a little insight on how he got to this point. He never hit me up for any extra money and seemed really grateful.

I've always wanted to do this. Where there any awkward momentes in your converstaions?
Your actions are commendable munchausen. Here is your badge; it's the boy scouts of america citizens of the community badge.




the following chinese proverb comes to mind concerning the topic;
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

 

[lasbar]

[

I've always wanted to do this. Where there any awkward momentes in your converstaions?
Your actions are commendable munchausen. Here is your badge; it's the boy scouts of america citizens of the community badge.




the following chinese proverb comes to mind concerning the topic;
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.[/quote]

If they were most of you guys and less pricks , the world is be better place to live in...

 

[mr.orange]



If there were more of you guys and less pricks , the world would be better place to live in...

FTFY

ah shucks

 

[munchausen]



I've always wanted to do this. Where there any awkward momentes in your converstaions?

I don't recall any. I don't remember all of the details but he told me he had a wife and kid back in Louisiana and came to Dallas because someone promised him a job that didn't materialize. He could have been lying, I don't know. I just thought the whole encounter was interesting because I had heard so many anecdotes about people offering to feed homeless people and the homeless people refusing because they really just wanted the money. Those stories may well be true but it doesn't always turn out that way.

Anyway, not looking for a pat on the back or anything. I know a lot of people who give a shitload of their money and time to help the needy. I do give to charity but it's a fraction of what I blow on clothes, fancy dinners and weed for myself.

 

[NORE]

Wait a minute. Did dude say the govt will give a black man $50K if he says he attempted to farm?

 

[mr.orange]

Profit.